A woman has been pictured apparently driving at more than 70mph on a motorway – while holding an iPad in front of the wheel.

The photograph of Nichaila Flower, 24, was posted on Facebook by her half-sister Liffe Pritchard, with the caption: ‘On the M4 and she’s on her iPad.’

Miss Pritchard, 18, who is a student, later claimed the pair were stuck in traffic, adding: ‘The car wasn’t moving. It was put on as a personal joke.’

But another eagle-eyed user of the social networking site commented: ‘You can see the speedo in the pictures.’ The speedometer appears to be between 70mph and 80mph in the photograph, which has since been taken down from the site.

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'Stupidly dangerous': The photograph of Nichaila Flower, 24, was posted on Facebook by her half-sister Liffe Pritchard, with the caption: ‘On the M4 and she’s on her iPad’

Miss Flower, a carer from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, claimed she was not using the iPad but passing it to a passenger in the car.

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‘If I was on my phone and you could see I was using it, it would be a bit different.’

Using hand-held phones and similar devices, such as tablets, while driving is illegal, even when stopped at traffic lights or stuck in traffic.

Miss Flower, a carer from Trowbridge, Wiltshire, claimed she was not using the iPad but passing it to a passenger in the car

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: ‘The use of any device which distracts a driver is illegal. ‘It can cause an accident and even loss of life. We will take action against any driver caught using any device.’

Yesterday Neil Greig, director of policy and research at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: ‘It is clearly so stupidly dangerous to use a tablet while driving and is the sort of thing that, for us, would merit a serious charge for those stopped by the police.

A simulator study we carried out for research into the effect of using smartphones on drivers found their reactions were worse than those who had the legal limit of alcohol in them or had taken cannabis.

‘People think they can control a vehicle and interact with these devices, but in fact they are more distracted by them than they are by the things which people take more seriously, like drink and drugs.’

Other research has shown motorists are four times more likely to crash if using a mobile device while driving.

Those caught using a device while driving or riding a motorcycle face an automatic fixed-penalty notice of three points on their licence and a fine of £100.

They could also be taken to court where they face being banned from the road and a maximum fine of £1,000.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin is considering doubling the penalty for any driver caught using a mobile phone to six points.

It would mean drivers could lose their licence if they are caught twice in three years.